Member Reviews
Juliette and airline pilot boyfriend Nate have split up. Nate needed 'space' from their stifling relationship. The only problem is, Juliette still loves Nate and will do anything to win him back. And OH BOY, do I mean ANYTHING!
Not wanting to let slip any spoilers, this book is an excellent debut psychological thriller from author Karen Hamilton. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what craziness would happen next! The author has created a fantastic tale of unrequited love and the insane lengths one woman will go to for her Happy Ever After.
Juliette was 'damaged goods' long before hooking up with Nate. An early childhood tragedy followed by bullying at boarding school left her continually searching for the better life she deserved. Craving acceptance by her school peers, especially the beautiful and sophisticated Bella, she was forever on the periphery; always the outsider. When Nate came along, she had their whole lives mapped out - love, marriage, babies, growing old together - but Nate's rejection brought it spectacularly crashing down around her!
What a wonderfully complex character Juliette is. She's a masterful manipulator with one viewpoint - her own. She knows what she wants, and how to get it, to make life complete; yet she's vulnerable and flawed. I compliment the author on her creation.
The Perfect Girlfriend is the perfect twisty story of an obsession that's dangerously out of control. Can Juliette be stopped before she goes too far? Read it and see!
*I received an Advance Reader Copy. My thanks to NetGalley, Karen Hamilton and Wildfire.
I powered through this book at some speed! The story was not like anything I've read before, and it was very interesting to have it set on planes and different cities around the world as the main character was an air hostess.
I thought the book was very cleverly written, and made me feel that Elizabeth/Juliette had many issues that were quite terrifying.
That been said, there wasn't one likeable character in the book and although I didn't know "who", I guessed "what" would happen at the end very early on in the book.
I would read more by this author as I think she did a wonderful job writing in a way that made me feel uncomfortable or nervous at some points, but this book wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publishers for a copy of this book.
This is a new author who's written a really compelling and psychological thriller. Juliette is a woman on a mission. She wants Nate and NOTHING is going to stop her from getting him.
What would you do if the man of your dreams doesn't want you? What lengths would you go to make sure you and him ended up together? Find out in The Perfect Girlfriend exactly what Juliette and Nate get up to. A MUST READ for any psychological fan.
Oh my goodness if you ever meet Juliette run as fast as you can in the opposite direction.
Great story that kept me turning the pages. The frightening thing is that whilst Juliette appears relatively sane we know different.
The book gradually builds up the tension to the conclusion, watch out Nate.
Looking forward to reading more books in future by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book grabbed me immediately. I love this sort of ex-girlfriend-becomes-obsessed type of book because I think we can all identify with the loss of a relationship although Juliette takes this to another level entirely.
The story was engaging and the characters were fabulous. I did wonder how stupid Nate must have been to not have noticed the ways in which Juliette was very much still part of his life.
The ending brought the whole story together and we realise that Juliette was more than just an overly obsessed spurned ex-girlfriend. As usual, there is a bigger picture which takes us all by surprise.
My only criticism, and it's a big one because it did spoil my enjoyment of the book, was that it really draaaaaaged. I feel there was too much filler. I wasn't interested in all the ways Juliette interacted with the bit players in the story and I was left wondering why we had so many pointless characters, who served no other purpose than to get across how Juliette was feeling that day.
Other than this, it was an enjoyable story and I am looking forward to reading more from this writer.
WOW! Karen Hamilton certainly knows how to craft a tale! The Perect Girlfriend puts a whole new spin on the bunny boiler story and I was hooked from the very first page. I read it in just over a day and really enjoyed it. I was sucked in from the start, wondering what Juliette would do next.
The writing in this book is really fantastic. The story moves along at a good pace that keeps your attention all the way through. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading fast-paced dramas packed with jealousy and revenge.
After reading the description of this book I couldn't wait to read this book.
But I am sorry I wasted my time. I really wanted to enjoy it but the more I tried the book was just boring.
The author promises thrills well where are they? How far do you have to keep reading before we find them. It was a big let down.
Wow what a wild ride this book was.
I do enjoy a story about people re-inventing themselves and Juliet was such a great character. In the beginning she was a very likeable character and I felt sorry for her. I loved her tenacity about getting her boyfriend Nate back, and admired her desire to give him some space, even though she desperately wanted to be with him.
Her character development was really good and very interesting as the plot progressed. I won’t say any more as I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone, but she knew what she wanted and she certainly wasn’t going to let anything, or anyone stop her from getting it.
If you enjoy books with unreliable narrators, you’re going to love this, and the subtle twist at the end was a very good one, that I hadn’t guessed at all.
The Perfect Girlfriend by Kate Hamilton is the story of Juliette who is still in love with her ex boyfriend Nate and will do anything to get him back. This was a scary psychological thriller about obsession. I would like to thank NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a brilliant book, well written and a real page turner. Fantastic
With thanks to Netgalley and Wildfire for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
The Perfect Girlfriend is the debut novel written by Karen Hamilton, I look forward to reading more books from this lady in the future.
Elizabeth was in a perfect relationship with Nate a pilot. Until six months earlier when he decided to break up with her, to placate her he paid the rent on a flat in Reading, some distance from him.
However Elizabeth believes she and Nate are the perfect couple so she decides to play the long game to win him back. Elizabeth uses her middle name of Juliette and gets a job as Cabin Crew on the same airline as Nate. She breaks into his flat when he is away at work and puts his favourite chocolate brownies in the freezer. She installs software on his mobile phone and befriends one of Nate's friends on Facebook so she can keep tabs on him.
The reader also sees a glimpse of Juliette's childhood. Her mother Amelia was an alcoholic and was often left to look after her little brother Will. When Juliette was 10 years old, 4 year old Will accidentally fell in a lake and drowned, Juliette has blamed herself ever since.
I. don't want to discuss what Juliette did next, but her Vegas plan was audacious and part of me was rooting for her. When her plan goes wrong she becomes more desperate and more dangerous. As love turns to hate Juliette wants Nate to suffer, she moves into a flat opposite him, going as far as meeting his mother and soon to be brother in law.
Karen Hamilton was ex cabin crew and it was interesting to see behind the scenes of the job. What happens when the passengers depart the plane on their holidays, the jetlag and lonely hotel rooms.
The Perfect Girlfriend was exciting, I could not wait to see what Juliette would do next. I was disappointed that the story was left open ended, I would of liked a proper ending.
However it did not spoil my enjoyment of the book, it will definitely be in my top ten books for 2017.
Absolutely brilliant pshycological thriller. At first I could not understand how one person could act so deranged and I cringed at some of the things she said and did. However by the middle of the book I was actually rooting for her. Don't ask me why because she is cray-cray but that just goes to show the immense skill Karen Hamilton has in creating a spectacularly flawed character that, I for one, could not help but love.
An excellent debut novel.
The main character is so absolutely awful that you actually find yourself strangely warming to her and then feeling terrible that you do. She is utterly awful and yet she really believes that those around her are at fault and therefore should pay for the way they have treated her.
And so you have a premise for a great novel and the writer does a superb job with it.
A real page turner with a few gentle twists that I must admit I didn't see coming and an ending which could have gone several ways. It actually finished about how I thought it would but that certainly didn't detract from the tension or the overall plot.
I finally reached the last page on Sunday morning, went downstairs to make a cuppa and found myself determined to ensure I always looked after my husband and treated him right. It won't last but it just goes to show what an impact this book had on me!
The Perfect Girlfriend is the stunning debut novel from Karen Hamilton.Juliette/Lily/Elizabeth is the obsessed stalker from hell ! Scarred by a childhood incident when at school Juliette finds herself a few years later in a relationship with Nate an airline pilot, but when he tells her he needs space and to move out of his flat she goes into full on stalker mode getting a job as a flight attendant at Nate's airline as well as watching his every move on Facebook and letting herself into his flat while he is away.The book is a well written psychological thriller that rattles along at a great pace as you wait to see what Juliette will do next in her POA (plan of action) to win Nate back.As the story develops you start to piece together the connection with Bella, Nate's sister who is also in Juliette's bad books ! With out wanting to reveal to much else about the plot i must say this one of the best psychological thrillers i have read this year.A new name as just entered the psychological thriller genre and if Karen Hamilton's future books are as good as this one her readers are in for a treat !! A superb 5 star debut.
I really enjoyed this book and looked forward to getting back to it. It is a modern day story of obsession, social media and relationships.
It was very absorbing and you could relate to the characters (not totally) but nonetheless you had some sympathy for the woman.
I could never get into Girl on a train, so this was a lot better in my opinion.
Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book wasn't quite what I was expecting! It is a very intense and creepy psychological thriller, told from a different perspective. This story is narrated by the perpetrator, so you go with the twists and turns, rather than have them as hooks to keep you in suspense. This doesn't mean that this book isn't a page turner because it is! The things this "perfect girlfriend" does will have you reading with your mouth open aghast and in total disbelief. For me this book felt more like a train bumpety bumping over a track rather than a roller coaster, with the train just ending its journey.at the buffers. So with this in mind I'm going to drop one star, but I still think this book is definitely one not to be missed.
Wow- that was pretty intense......although again as with a lot of thrillers lacking a conclusion and felt left wide open. I'm unsure if that signals a sequel or if it's just going to be left wide open like that.
Lily has been dumped by Nate- a well do do guy who's a pilot- whom doesn't do commitment- but having forced herself into his life he's ended up settled down with her- and ends the relationship.
So Lily thinks he just needs space- he will eventually realise he loves her- so she re-invents herself into Juliette- and becomes an air hostess in order to get closer to him.
And that is just the start!
Juliette does some extremely questionable things- and is quite frankly bat sh*t crazy- she will stop at no lengths to get back her man.
Not too much can be said about the story- as it would give too much away- but it goes to show how long someone can hold a grudge!!
I dropped a star due to a massive plot hole left unexplored and the fact that it didn't have a conclusion
The Perfect Girlfriend opens with a flashback scene, as our protagonist takes her little brother out for a picnic and he tragically drowns. Fast-forward years later Juliette is now working as an air-hostess in the same airplane as Nate, her ex-boyfriend. Juliette is determined to win back Nate and sets in motion a series of cunning plans. With flashbacks to her high school-years (that connects with her present), this is a story of obsessive love.
I read this from beginning to end. It's easy and light, but for me personally it was also lacking a little something. I found Juliette compelling in the first-half but then in the second-half she became a caricature of that typical Fatal Attraction character I've read and seen so many times. Also I felt like the story lacked tension and the prose went into summary mode far too often for my taste, and it was bit light on suspense. However I kept turning the pages to see where the story will end, so it did manage to keep me hooked.
Overall this is a fun time-pass book.
Psychological fiction at it's very finest. One of this year's MUST READS.
Had me on the edge of my seatime right from the first page.
An author I would love to read more from in the future.